Monthly Archives: April 2011

Making Do With The Monarchy

Posted on 30 April 2011 by Robert

Heart and head are split over the monarchy. The moral case for a Republic is unassailable, yet I was filled with delight at yesterday’s pageantry. How to rationalise this? I think it’s a form of what we call Making The … Continue reading →

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Self Portrait Death Photos

Posted on 28 April 2011 by Robert

Our culture continues to be defined by the screen and the lens. The works of Marshall McLuhan and Andy Warhol remain disturbingly current. Politics continues to be defined by image, not ideas, to the extent that the Leader of the … Continue reading →

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Shirky’s Third Way

Posted on 27 April 2011 by Robert

Here’s Clay Shirky in Cognitive Surplus, discussing differing views on human behaviour and how that affects political ideology: Assumptions that people are selfish can become self-fulfilling prophecies, creating systems that provide lots of individual freedom to act but not a … Continue reading →

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Free Eynulla Fatullayev

Posted on 21 April 2011 by Robert

Yesterday, English PEN took part in a demonstration with other free speech organisations outside the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan. We demanded the release of Eynulla Fatullayev, and editor who was imprisoned for defamation of the state (i.e. criticising … Continue reading →

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The Psychology of our Immigration Unease

Posted on 20 April 2011 by Robert

Acknowledging our discomfort over migrants is the start of a conversation about ourselves, not an argument for immigration control. Continue reading →

Posted in Debate, Multiculturalism | 1 Comment

Kate’s Confirmation Churnalism

Posted on 19 April 2011 by Robert

Last weekend I made the assertion that Kate Middleton’s confirmation had been subjected to a press strategy, and was thus an appropriate topic for debate and conversation on the blogs. I realised I had not actually linked to any online … Continue reading →

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War Horse on Broadway

Posted on 18 April 2011 by Robert

The making of War Horse – projection and animation from 59 Productions on Vimeo. Tenacious readers will recall that I had some small involvement in War Horse, the preposterously successful National Theatre production that transferred to the West End, and … Continue reading →

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Some Words on Primogeniture

Posted on 17 April 2011 by Robert

Primogentiture is the right of the first born to inherit titles, estates and thrones. At present the UK has a form of male primogeniture, which sets the Duke of York and Prince Edward above the older Princess Anne in the … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Liberal Democrats, Monarchy, UK | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Kate Middleton insults the Church

Posted on 16 April 2011 by Robert

Many wry smiles and twittered Lolz at the news this week that Kate Middleton has been confirmed into the Church of England. Is it appropriate for a British subject such as myself to comment on our Queen-elect’s faith choices? Probably … Continue reading →

Posted in Monarchy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments